Productivity,performance and project management in the scientific instrument industry

Scientific instruments have short product lifecycles and a lengthening of the time between design and application has serious financial implications. This paper reports on research aimed at obtaining a greater understanding of the factors which influence this interface. Interviews were conducted at 32 companies in two countries, the United Kingdom (UK) and the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). The study showed that there are statistically significant differences between the two countries and that in the FRG there are also differences between projects led by people with different qualifications and background experience. These differences are analysed and discussed and factors identified which influence productivity and performance in the scientific instrument industry.     

Marriage, divorce, and legal change: new evidence from England and Wales

In this article, we explain the evolution of divorce rates in England and Wales over the post-war period. Following the approach of the predominantly North American literature in this area, we focus on the liberalization of divorce law and socioeconomic factors as determinants of the divorce rate. In line with the development of the literature, we find that the introduction of liberalized, no-fault divorce law had a significant effect on the divorce rate in England and Wales. The finding that the law affects the divorce rate is consistent with the view that marriage is characterized by indivisibilities that inhibit Coasian bargaining.     

Actual versus perceived risk of cervical cancer among college women smokers

Cervical cancer is a well-established smoking-related illness, but many at-risk women are unaware of this link. OBJECTIVE: The authors designed this study to (1) investigate the relationship of smoking behavior with the history of abnormal Pap test results, sexual history, and perceived risk of cervical cancer and (2) determine whether self-classified smoking status (and hence perceived risk) corresponds with actual smoking behavior in a college student population. PARTICIPANTS AND METHOD SUMMARY: College women students (N = 135) completed a survey assessing smoking history, health history, sexual risk behavior, and risk awareness. RESULTS: Relative to those who had not smoked in the past month, current smokers (n = 36, or 27% of the total sample) perceived themselves to be at higher risk for developing cervical cancer, but did not demonstrate increased awareness of specific cervical cancer risk factors, including smoking. Twenty-eight percent (10 of 36) of past-month smokers did not define themselves as current smokers. CONCLUSION: The authors conclude that anti-smoking and health-related messages targeting smokers may misfire for individuals who do not define themselves as smokers but are nonetheless at risk for smoking-related consequences and escalating use.     

The effects of macroeconomic developments on individual companies' flows of funds

A system of models is described which traces the impact on individual companies' finances of changing the macroeconomic environment. This system comprises models of individual firms integrated with Cambridge's large-scale disaggregated model of the UK economy. Illustrative projections are provided for the period 1980–1988 for three companies under alternative exchange rate and interest rate assumptions; a balance sheet, income appropriation account and funds flow statement is generated for each company-year and each assumption. These case studies illustrate how sensitive companies' finances can be to changes in the macroeconomic environment and also how dissimilar can be the response of different companies' flows of funds to the same macroeconomic change.